The Irish standard., 1887-04-02
His Honor the judge.
Concluded from last week

light as on the previous night. I arranged
the bed-cl0thes in the shape of human
figure, and stationed myself behind the
screen with DR.. Hinton.
Twelve o'clock caMe, and one, but we re-
NAMED undisturbed.
"He is not coming" whispered the doc
tor.
"Perhaps not" answered, ssbut feel
IN duty bound to watch"
every we'll, yawned the doctor, 81 am
with you, but we did not go to work in the
right way"
"What would have been your plans" l
asked.
why, simply this. We should have
concealed ourselves in the corridor and
watched his door. When he came out we
could have followed him at a little dis.
tance. As it is, he may visit another
room, and in that event our time will be
nst."
cit is all very we'll to suggest that now"
answered, sbut there are objections to
your plan. The guests who found us
prowling about the corridor would demand
explanations and we would have found it
necessary to let too many into our secret.
Now, it seems reasonable to suppose that
the force of habit will draw the Judge to
the same place. This room is next the one
in which the murder occurred, and if my
theory is correct your friend was making
for that room last night. Finding it Sc
curely fastened-you know it has been
nailed up since the inquest-he tried the
next door, which is mine. IF he walks at
all tonight believe he would go over the
same track"
"There is something in that" said my
companion; "but hope that he will not
come Think of the effect on his mind if
our suspicious should turn out to be the
truth"
"Hush!" I whispered.
The door creaked little, and a white
robed figure gently glided in.
"It is the Judged" said the doctor, under
his breath.
And it was the Judge. 1t was plainly
evident even in the moonlight that he was
asleep, but his features were twitching
convulsively. In his right hand he carried
the dagger.
Swiftly, and yet without making the
slightest noise, the sleepwalker APP
preached the bed, and, stretching forth
When his hand rested upon the sham fig
ure he delivered the same rapid thrust
with the dagger that had witnessed the
night before, and fed from the room.
DR.. Hinton was cool man when there
was work to do. He signaled to me, and
we ran after the Judge, following him into
his room.
Judge Pike closed his door and faced us.
For moment I thought that he was
awake, but I soon saw that he was uncon-
scious. He went to his trunk, and, lifting
it's contents carefully, placed the dagger
ut the bottom. Then he threw himself into
an armchair.
81 hate to do it," said DR.. Hinton, 'sbut
1t must be DONE"
He advanced to the chair and shook the
sleeping man.
Chow dare you'll" he exclaimed. ''What
does this mean? Why, gentlemen, this is
strange. How is it that you are in my
room2''
He looked down at his costume, and
buried his face in his hands
sHave been ill?" he asked.
s.My FRIEND" said the doctor, IT am about
to bring great sorrow upon you, but 1
know that you are brave enough to bear
the truth. What have to say does not
reflect upon your character, and it is neces-
sary that you should know it."
"Speaki" huskily commanded the
judge.
l
asked the DOCTOR
"Certainly,' was the reply; snake your
self at home"
The doctor drew from the bottom of the
trunk the dagger.
Chow did that get there's" was the
judges stern question. II have no weap-
ons. never saw that before"
The doctor held the dagger up. On its
handle was engraved the name of John
Luf.
s'This calls for an explanation, SIR" said
Judge Pike, with an angry look.
s.Tell him." said the doctor, turning to
me.
It was the hardest task of my life, but in
some fashion managed to tell the story.
In the middle of it the doctor came to my
rescue, and, with his arm around his
friends neck, he told him all the events of
the night.
The Judges face assumed a CHASTITY pal
lor, and several times I expected to see
him faint. He took the dagger in his hand
and looked at the name.
81 understand it all,' he groaned.
He threw the dagger on the floor
'sGentlemen," said he, sadly, "leave me
now. Letme sleep, if I can. In the morn
ing my nerves will be stronger. and we
Will GQ0n consult tOSetuer u SCI uOW W uO
Justice to Luff without doing injustice to
me. The whole truth must come out"
We left the room and returned to mine
"What will be the end Of it2'' I asked
the doctor.
Impossible to say" he replied. "Pike
is religious man. He will not commit
suicide or do anything rash.'
We were at the breakfast table when
the landlord rushed in and said to the doc
tor:
"Come. quickl Judge Pike is dead or
dying!'
We hurried to the judges room, but it
was too late. The wretched man was
dead.
To our great joy it was not case OF
suicide. DR.. Hinton made thorough In
vestigation, and satisfied himself that his
friend had died of heart disease.
Perhaps it was better so. When the
doctor and made our statement to the
prosecuting attorneys, no one questioned
it. There was great surprise, for the
Indictment was readily ''nollied," as the
miners called it, and Luff was set at lib.
erty.
cit was close shave" he said, when
he set up the drinks that night, "and this
climate doesn't suit my health. am go
ing to skip"